Advisory Note

Please Note: This blog contains poorly painted toy soldiers that may offend those of an aesthetically sensitive disposition.

Sunday 8 April 2018

House OHW Fantasy game

Introduction

Using my Fantasy variant of Neil Thomas's One Hour Wargame rules (see side bar), the following was a battle between Orcs and Goblins (all Irregular Miniatures 10mm). Goblin "Cavalry" are mounted on Giant Boars, Orc "Cavalry" are mounted, more traditionally, on wolves. The Goblins start with an extra unit as the Orc bonuses are higher. Each round base equals one unit. Grid squares are 1 inch.

Game

Opening positions (Goblins North Orcs South)
Goblin Cavalry rush down their right flank eager to engage the enemy
Impact! The orc line holds, arrows fly from both sides. Orc cavalry counter charge
Morale rules lead to units on both sides leaving the battle
The battle has split into two as casualties mount
Goblins have got round to the Orc rear but infantry respond
Few units remain as the battle descends into separate melees
The final fight will be between the two commanders and their retinues
Victory goes to the Goblin Chief on the last turn of the game!



Saturday 7 April 2018

OHW Flanking Duet

Introduction

In wargaming, unlike in life, it is of course possible to refight one's battles. The first of todays battles was a refight of last weekends' Flank Attack (1) (Scenario 6 of Neil Thomas's One Hour Wargames); the second was, no prizes for guessing, Flank Attack (2) (Scenario 7 of the same book).

Game Mechanics

Infantry and Artillery move 1 square; Cavalry move 2. Infantry range is 2 squares, Artillery is 8. Move and firing is through the sides and not the corner of squares as in The Portable Wargame. Other rules are as prescribed by OHW Chapter 13 Rifle & Sabre rules.
In Game 1, Army Red must have a minimum of 3 units exit via the road. In Game 2, Army Black must finish the game in total possession of the large hill.

Game 1 Flank Attack 1 Redux

Opening position - Red to the North
Cavalry clash as the flank attack begins
Army Red march on towards their exit point
Turn 4 Army Black are winning the Cavalry battle
Artillery and rifle fire begin to take their toll on the forward units
Turn 6 Artillery and rifle fire PLUS Cavalry to flank & Rear
 With only two units left Army Red cannot achieve their objective
 
Line Infantry make a last stand

Turn 10, the day is lost

Game 2 Flank Attack 2

Army Red hold the large hill in the NW 
An Artillery battle begins as Black advance
Turn 3 Red's Artillery is destroyed
The Cavalry keep one of Black's Infantry units occupied
Turn 5 Army Red's numbers are shrinking under relentless fire
Turn 7 The Guards hold the hill alone
Turn 9 Army Black's last two infantry units are closing in
Turn 10 - Army Black has taken the hill after the Guards fought to the last man

Two victories to Army Black. Artillery range, and Cavalry flank attacks (which get double hits) caused huge damage to Army Red.

Monday 2 April 2018

A Couple of One Hour Wargames

Introduction

A couple of One Hour Wargames (OHW) were bashed out this morning using the Late 19th Century "Rifle and Sabre" section (Chapter 13) of Neil Thomas's popular tome. I have been enjoying the SYW OHW games being umpired by another Neil over at Toy soldiers and dining room battles ; definitely worth a look if you haven't seen them already.
By default these games are fast and very bloody on my small gridded board, even after reducing the ranges to the minimum. One grid square = 6" in the rules; this means that Infantry and Artillery move 1 square, Cavalry move 2 squares. Rifle range is 2 squares, Artillery 8 squares (the length of the board!) Both scenarios had a similar theme; an attempt to get part of a force away from the enemy. The fly in the ointment for the army on the move in OHW is that a unit can either move OR fire which slows down a hasty retreat. The first scenario involved an outnumbered Army Red...

Game 1: Encirclement or Breakout

This game saw Army Red (Albiona) going too deep into enemy territory and having to breakout before being encircled. The setting was based on Scenario 4 of Scenarios for all Ages (CS Grant & SA Asquith). The objective for Red was to retreat and get 50% of its force back over the baseline to its rear. The objective for Army Black (Swarzlandia) was to destroy at least 60% of the Albionan force. 8 turns were allowed.

Army Red have gone a few squares too far
Army Black's positions as revealed by Red's scouts
Black's guns start blasting holes in the Red ranks
The Guards and the Naval Brigade blow aside a Black battalion
The oncoming Black forces cause carnage 
Red's last attempt to silence those d**ned guns
Black's cavalry mops up survivors

About 20% of the Red force limped off the field. A resounding victory for Swarzlandia.

Game 2: Flank Attack (1)

This game was based on Scenario 6 of OHW. Each side only had 5 units; Army Red's objective was to get past the Army Black road block and get 2 units off the table. Black had 2 units of cavalry on Red's right flank. Again only 8 turns were allowed.

Red's force marches onto the board
Black's guns begin to fire (deja vu sets in from the start)
Off the road lads
Red keeps moving forward though harassed by Black's cavalry
In range of Black's rifles
Heavy casualties on both sides of the road
End of Turn 8 - Red don't quite manage to get what's left of the Guards off the field

Fast, furious and frivolous fun for a wet Bank Holiday Monday.